A two-year study of the Lehigh Valley, funded with a $3 million Sustainable Communities HUD grant, was the focus of a Nov. 18 public meeting at Northampton Community College's Southside campus. Eric McAfee, director of community planning for the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, summarized the report to an audience of about 35 people, each of whom was supplied with a hard copy, along with a tote bag and water bottle. The report lists 35 goals, based on numerous public meetings that even included a LV IronPigs baseball game.

This public participation also included a survey of 800 Lehigh Valley residents, performed by Muhlenberg Colleges' Institute of Public Opinion, who were asked questions about challenges to the, economy, environment, transportation and livable communities. People would most like to see better-paying jobs; clean air and water; better roads; and more quality housing for working families.

Jobs. - Over the past five years, the biggest gains in employment have been in the healthcare and social services industry. There are also 4,567 new transportation and warehousing jobs. Many of these jobs, however, are in industrial parks away from the cities. Though agri-business is considered an emerging job market, the Lehigh Valley has lost 80 percent of its farms and 53 percent of its farmland since 1930.

City or Suburb? - According to former HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, the move to the suburbs is "over." Not in the Lehigh Valley. Between 1980 and 2010, Lehigh Valley townships and boroughs were responsible for 87 percent of the population increase. Most people – 57 percent - live in single family detached homes. Whether it is city or 'burb, 89 percent of Lehigh Valley residents are within bicycle distance of schools and stores (2 miles). Only 15 percent, however, are within walking distance, calculated at one-fourth mile, of a school or grocer.

Public Health Rate. - Out of 67 counties, Lehigh is ranked #19 and Northampton #21. Northampton County has more morbidity (#53) than Lehigh (#35), but strangely is ranked higher in health behaviors.

Bethlehem's Eastern Gateway. - Darlene Heller, Bethlehem's director of planning, explained changes at Bethlehem's Eastern Gateway, which extends east from the Skateplaza and includes the greenway in Southside Bethlehem, between Third and Fourth Streets.

Southside Steely was there too, proving that even super heroes believe in good planning.